Dated: 7th June 2001
In Burma frequent outburst of anti-Muslim riots in different parts of Arakan and Burma resulting in the death of Muslims and plundering their properties. The present ruling military junta State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) by and watched the looting of Muslim properties.
Several anti-Muslim riots took place in Sittwe (Akyab), from 4th to 8th February 2001, the provincial capital of Arakan, and other towns of Kyaukpru, Pauktaw and Maybon. In this riots at least 40 Muslims were dead and over 30 injured including one Buddhist monk. About 80 houses were burnt down including 30 shanty-houses of Buddhist community and 10 shops, one boarding owned by Muslims were razed to the ground.
This riots continued for 5 days but military and the police did not stop the riots, though their camps are near the riots places. The military and police also encouraged and physically participated at the side of the Buddhist rioters. The youths of Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) of ruling junta disguising as young Buddhist monks and their followers attacked the Muslim quarters.
It is the phenomena of the successive Burmese governments that whenever they are facing critical situation either of economical or political, they use to divert the situation into a riot between Buddhist and Muslims in which Muslims are always made as a escape-goat. At present Arakan is like a big jail for the Rohingya Muslims. After happening the riots, travelling of all Rohingya Muslims from any parts of the Arakan to Akyab (Sittwe) are totally banned by the authority. The ruling junta has been creating anti-Muslim sentiment among the Buddhist of Arakan. It is widely believe that whatever happenings in the form of riots in Arakan are not accidental but an act of pre-planned arrangement systematically being carried out throughout the time.
Recently in Maungdaw township 12 mosques attached with religious schools in Ghodosara Village Tract, 10 Mosques with attached 5 religious schools in Baggona Village Tract, 2 mosques in Chairapara (Pa-Yaungbangyi), one Mosque in Kilaidaung (Cheradan), one mosque in Ludine (Dodan) Para, in total 26 Mosques including religious schools were destroyed by the Na.Sa.Ka authority from 13th to 20th May 2001. Many religious leaders who opposed against such action of ruling junta were beaten and detained while some were went into hiding. The Na.Sa.Ka authorities have also listed to destroyed many mosques and religious schools in near future particularly at Maungdaw north, Buthidaung and Rathedaung townships.
In this regard, a team of religious leaders from Maungdaw township comprising of Dr. Nurul Hoque, Chairman of Religious Council, Mr. Salim, Chairman of Myanma Muslim Organisation and Hafiz Noor Mohammed, an E.C Member of Jamaitul -Ullama met the Director General of Na.Sa.Ka, Headquarters at Kowarbil (Gyiganbin) and the Director told them that these were done by the order of the higher authority. He told them that he will summit this matters to the higher authorities not to occur in future.
Similar anti-Muslim riots were broken out during the months of March and April in 1997. About 30 mosques were also demolished in the mainland Burma, particularly, in the cities of Rangoon, Mandalay, Toung Ngu, and Prome etc.. Earlier a number of mosques in Arakan including the historic Sandi Khan mosque built in 1430 C.E were razed to the ground. In 1997 alone atleast 42 mosques were demolished throughout the country.
On 15th May 2001, a group of Military Intelligence (MI) disguising of young Buddhist monks and hundreds of their followers from USDA came to Muslim quarters of Taung Ngu and suddenly attacked 14 mosques at a time while Muslims were praying. As a result 5 mosques and 200 Muslim houses were burnt down to ashes, destroyed many shops and restaurants owned by the Muslims. Two monks also were killed during the two days long riots. Among them 4 Muslim leaders died when the rioters cut their throats and the owner of a restaurant was beaten to death. Most of the Muslims of Taung Ngu were compelled to flee to the neighbouring townships.
During this time, Muslim villages of Kywe Kyaw, Auk Nyein and other villages were also under the arson attacks. The Iman (who leads prayer in the mosque) Moulvi Anwar of Taung Ngu Jam-e-Masjid was hacked into 3 pieces and kept on Rangoon-Mandalay highway to make it known to the Buddhist public, as an act of timely needed one.
The riots also spread to Taunggyi, Thagaya, Swa and Pyu, Taungdwingyi, Yadashe and Nyaunglebin on 20th to 23rd of May 2001, resulting at least 20 people dead, more than 100 houses were burnt down, and thousands of Muslims became homeless.
The above religious riots were instigated and pre-meditated by military intelligence against in a bid to divert attention from the current economic and political crisis of Burma. In the 2nd week of May, 2001, the value of the Kyat has been dropped to its lowest ever and now rests at about 885 Kyat to the one US$ on the black market. With the drop of the Kyat, the price of other basic commodities has skyrocketed. Additionally, the recent rationing of electricity has driven up the price of petrol, which is used to power small privately owned generators.
A Western diplomat in Rangoon said that it was a pretty big rampage by the young Buddhist monks and the Burmese ruling junta has ordered a curfew after anti-Muslim riots was over. The military junta had not immediately released official statement on the riots. But after passing a long time, the SPDC has carefully admitted the occurrence of anti-Muslim riots in Burma and the SPDC reasoned that it was an internal problem between the Muslim and Buddhist community. According to Buddhist monk Khin Ma-Thara, President of the Young Monks Association of Burma, based on Thai-Burma border, the riots may continue up to September 2001 because these riots were organised under the direction of Regional Military commanders. The intelligence apparatus of ruling junta has been publishing and distributing pamphlets on which they stated that today in Burma the Muslim population is more than 20% of the total population. The pamphlet also indicates that Burma is turning into a Muslim country in a shot time if Muslims were let free.
Therefore, the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation (ARNO), Arakan, strongly condemned the present ruling military junta SPDC of Burma for creating such heinous anti-Muslim riots and destruction of religious institutions.
I, on behalf of ARNO and the Rohingyas of Arakan in particular and the Muslims of Burma in general appeal to the International Community, the Governments of World and World Bodies including UNO, OIC, NAM, SAARC, ASEAN, NGOs, IGOs and other Humanitarian and Human Rights Organisations to help stop further escalation of the anti-Muslim riots in Burma and to investigate the real situation of Muslims and to raise the issue at an appropriate forum of the World Bodies.
We, also particularly appeal to our neighbouring Bangladesh Government and the People of Bangladesh to press the present Burmese ruling junta to protect the mosques and the Islamic religious institutions in Arakan and Burma and also to ensure the security of lives and properties of the Muslims.
(Nurul Islam)
President
Arakan Rohingya National Organisation
Arakan.
Source: Press & Publication Department, ARNO, June 8, 2001